John's blog - www.johnvhansen.com - 2015 in reviewhttp://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm
John V. Hansen's blogen-usThu, 22 Feb 2018 02:07:03 -0700Thu, 31 Dec 2015 05:44:00 -0700BlogCFChttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssno-reply@johnvhansen.comno-reply@johnvhansen.comno-reply@johnvhansen.comJohn's blog - www.johnvhansen.comhttp://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm
noMy top 10 movies of 2015http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/12/31/My-top-10-movies-of-2015
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//spotlight1.jpg">
These were my 10 favorite movies of 2015:
1. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1895587/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Spotlight"</a> -- This chronicle of the Boston Globe's 2001-02 probe of rape allegations in the Catholic Church is a thank-you letter to the dying art of investigative journalism. An all-star cast of actors including Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Liev Schreiber does a marvelous job of capturing the small details of how reporters live and behave – particularly Ruffalo, whether he's boiling hot dogs for dinner of scrounging through his bag for a pen. Meanwhile, the case itself works as a meat-and-potatoes procedural potboiler.
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2. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1895587/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Creed"</a> -- If we end up getting a bunch more sequels, this seventh entry will go down as the transitional movie in the "Rocky"/"Creed" boxing saga, as writer-director Ryan Coogler brings a fresh vibe while honoring the traditions. Here, Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) is the grizzled old trainer and Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), son of Apollo, is the hungry young fighter. Coogler brings a viewer right into the fights with lingering, uninterrupted shots – inviting us to enjoy the thrills and confront the sport's violence at the same time.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//ex-machina1.jpg">
3. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Ex Machina"</a> -- Artificial intelligence is such a well-worn genre that it's hard to believe the material could feel fresh again. But that's what happens in writer-director Alex Garland's film, which is driven by meditative performances by Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleason and, in a mesmerizing breakthrough, Alicia Vickander as the cutting-edge robot. Like all films in this genre, we ask "What does it mean to be human?" But here, we might not like the answer.
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4. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1881002/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">"Maggie"</a> -- Arnold Schwarzenegger gives the most understated performance of his career in this slow-burn horror film where he plays the father of a girl (Abigail Breslin) who is slowly turning into a zombie. Director Henry Hobson's beautifully grim film starts slow but gradually gets under a viewer's skin -- we grow to love the characters at the same rate we realize how hopeless their situation is.
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5. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3235888/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">"It Follows"</a> -- Writer-director Robert Mitchell spices up the coming-of-age genre with a crazy but fascinating horror concept where teens who have sex are stalked by a demon unless they pass on the curse. This film with an old-school look and sound is propelled by both the fresh concept and a sympathetic turn by up-and-comer Maika Monroe. Similar to "Ex Machina," it serves as a foundation for post-film "What does it all mean?" discussion.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//jurassic-world2.jpg">
6. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369610/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Jurassic World"</a> -- The fourth film in the saga is the best since the original as the filmmakers deliver a bevy of fan-pleasing sequences, from dive-bombing pteranodons to the series' first aquatic dinosaur (a mosasaur) to a soldiers-vs.-dino skirmish to the epic final clash between a T-rex and the new star, the genetically engineered Indominus rex.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//pitch-perfect-21.jpg">
7. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2848292/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Pitch Perfect 2"</a> -- This sequel hits all the right notes as it mocks the absurdity of the notion of an international a cappella competition. For example, Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins play a cappella competition podcasters. It smoothly blends lots of diverse elements, ranging from catchy tunes to fart jokes. It helps that the viewer sees the action though the wide eyes of the new Barden Bella played by the adorable Hailee Steinfeld, who also starred in "Barely Lethal," which just missed my top 10.
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8. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2637276/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Ted 2"</a> -- This sequel in Seth McFarlane's talking teddy bear series follows the same formula as the original, but it's a winning one. There are a lot of snort-worthy gags, such as Ted and John (Mark Wahlberg) desperately destroying John's pornography-laden computer, and series newcomer Amanda Seyfried slots in nicely as a lawyer who shares the duo's affinity for marijuana. Plus, there's a nice dash of sociopolitical commentary as Ted seeks the right to get married.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//terminator-genisys2.jpg">
9. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340138/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Terminator Genisys"</a> -- Emilia Clarke is winsome as she fills Linda Hamilton's and Lena Headey's big shoes as one of the most iconic female action stars, Sarah Connor. Much like the 2009 "Star Trek," the fifth big-screen "Terminator" entry uses the flexible rules of time travel as a way to give the series a fresh start. Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger – who fights his "younger self" from the 1984 movie in a fascinating exercise in digital compositing -- proves that while he's old, he's not obsolete.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//insurgent1.jpg">
10. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2908446/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Insurgent"</a> -- In the genre of young-adult dystopian novels adapted into big-screen blockbusters, I prefer the "Divergent" series to the more lauded "Hunger Games." The biggest reasons are the appealing lead, Shailene Woodley, and the sense of mystery about who is pulling the strings of this totalitarian government, and what their goals are.
What were your favorite movies of 2015? Share your lists in the comment thread below.
MY 2015 MOVIE REVIEWS
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/8/18/Steinfeld-steals-show-as-Barely-Lethal-blends-high-school-and-secret-agent-genres" target="_blank">"Barely Lethal"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/11/28/Creed-respects-Rocky-traditions-while-doing-something-a-bit-different" target="_blank">"Creed"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/5/13/Garland-smartly-explores-artificial-intelligence-in-sparsely-beautiful-Ex-Machina" target="_blank">"Ex Machina"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/6/11/Gorgeouslooking-Insurgent-further-explores-Divergent-world" target="_blank">"Insurgent"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/4/10/It-Follows-masterfully-blends-horror-and-comingofage-genres" target="_blank">"It Follows"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/6/14/Jurassic-World-is-Jurassic-Park-on-steroids-and-thats-mostly-a-good-thing" target="_blank">"Jurassic World"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/5/7/Lazarus-Effect-a-tidy-little-90minute-horror-riff" target="_blank">"The Lazarus Effect"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/8/17/Schwarzenegger-Breslin-shine-in-fatalistic-arthouse-zombie-film" target="_blank">"Maggie"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/11/9/Me-and-Earl-and-the-Dying-Girl-avoids-Fault-in-Our-Stars-melodrama-but-feels-too-empty" target="_blank">"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/11/29/Paper-Towns-is-American-Graffiti-for-a-new-generation--but-its-no-American-Graffiti" target="_blank">"Paper Towns"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/5/21/Cannon-Banks-deliver-acacompetent-followup-to-Pitch-Perfect" target="_blank">"Pitch Perfect 2"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/12/16/Spotlight-is-a-crisply-crafted-thankyou-letter-to-investigative-journalism" target="_blank">"Spotlight"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2016/1/1/In-The-Force-Awakens-the-creative-side-of-Star-Wars-dies--with-thunderous-applause" target="_blank">"Star Wars: Episode VII -- The Force Awakens"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/6/27/Ted-2-Cruise-control" target="_blank">"Ted 2"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/7/1/Terminator-Genisys-is-a-smart-sequel-and-fresh-start-for-the-saga" target="_blank">"Terminator Genisys"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/5/28/Tomorrowland-The-next-cult-classic-from-Damon-Lindelof-or-possibly-just-a-bad-movie" target="_blank">"Tomorrowland"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/12/9/Trainwreck-derailed-by-unlikable-main-character-boring-second-half" target="_blank">"Trainwreck"</a>
<a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/12/6/New-Vacation-is-no-classic-but-it-has-enough-laughs-to-be-worth-a-rental" target="_blank">"Vacation"</a>
Movies2015 in reviewThu, 31 Dec 2015 05:44:00 -0700http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/12/31/My-top-10-movies-of-2015My top 10 TV shows of 2015http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/12/24/My-top-10-TV-shows-of-2015
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//crazy-ex-girlfriend2.jpg">
These were my 10 favorite TV shows of 2015:
1. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4094300/?ref_=nv_sr_3" target="_blank">"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"</a> (Season 1, The CW) – In blending musical numbers, broad comedy and genuine character drama about a troubled 20-something, Rachel Bloom's brainchild is the most ambitious show of the year. By doing all three of those things well (particularly the musical numbers, which are consistently clever and catchy in the way they explore Rebecca's and other characters' neuroses), it's also the best show of the year. I'll be following whatever Bloom does next, but I hope this series defies the low ratings and sticks around awhile, at least long enough for an official soundtrack release. (Here are my <a href="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/12/2/The-top-10-songs-from-Crazy-ExGirlfriend-so-far" target="_blank">10 favorite songs</a> so far.)
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2. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2802850/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Fargo"</a> (Season 2, FX) – Even without Billy Bob Thornton chewing scenery, Season 2 – set in 1979 – turned out even better as it explored the takeover of a Fargo family crime business by a Kansas City crime corporation (the fact that we don't know the precise industry somehow isn't a knock against the show), and the law officials who are mostly helpless to stop it (although Patrick Wilson's and Ted Danson's characters are worth rooting for). Ed and Peggy (Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst) provided dark comedy as the couple who stay a step ahead of the baddies through a combination of luck and pluck. Although the violence is over-the-top, as a Fargo native I can confirm that the way Upper Midwesterners speak and interact is spot-on.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//gotham3.jpg">
3. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3749900/?ref_=nv_sr_2" target="_blank">"Gotham"</a> (Seasons 1-2, Fox) – I know this stylized "Batman" prequel won't be quite so high on most people's lists, but I adore the dark noir look of the city and the way Detective Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and young Bruce Wayne (Joseph Mazouz) shape themselves into heroes through willpower rather than forces of destiny. The roster of villains keeps getting stronger, with the Riddler following the Penguin on his journey to rogue's gallery status, and I'm looking forward to the continuing arcs of Tigress and Silver St. Cloud in the new year.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//bates-motel2.jpg">
4. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2188671/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Bates Motel"</a> (Season 3, A&E) – At year's end, it's easy to forget about this "Psycho" prequel series because it airs in the spring. But it continues to fascinatingly explore the nature and nurture that lead to Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) becoming the psycho we know and love. Particularly tasty supporting turns came from Kenny Johnson as Norma's brother and Ryan Hurst as a backwoods-based weapons dealer, as the show managed to keep illicit trade in a central role despite Oregon's recreational marijuana legalization in the real world.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//fear-the-walking-dead.jpg">
5. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3743822/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"Fear the Walking Dead"</a> (Season 1, AMC) – This was a show I didn't know I wanted to watch until it actually arrived as a six-episode summer series. Whereas the parent show chronicles the destruction of the old rules and the construction of a new society, "Fear" details the chaos and hard decisions in the wake of the zombie outbreak. We generally know where it's going, but not precisely, since this group of characters is on the West Coast rather than the Southeast. Frank Dillane is particularly great as a teen going through drug withdrawal as society breaks down.
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6. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3501584/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"iZombie"</a> (Seasons 1-2, The CW) – It started off riding the residual goodwill of the previous Rob Thomas/Diane Ruggiero mystery series, "Veronica Mars," but by year's end it had grown into a show I enjoy nearly as much. The mythology about the science of the zombie plague is convoluted, but the procedural cases are smartly engaging and the cast is a joy to watch – starting with Rose McIver's titular Liv, but also including Rahul Kohli as the medical examiner and Malcolm Goodwin as the police detective.
<img src="http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/images//walking-dead8.jpg">
7. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520211/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"The Walking Dead"</a> (Seasons 5-6, AMC) – 2015 was the year when we explored Alexandria, which had been protected from walkers by walls and dumb luck, and how the town reacts to the arrival of Rick's war-torn group. The clash of old-world and new-world philosophies led to plenty of philosophical conflicts for "Talking Dead" to break down, and it also was a strong year for characters (welcome, Enid and Jessie), with the highlight being the indie-film-style episode that showed us how Morgan became a pacifist.
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8. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2211129/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">"The Mindy Project"</a> (Season 3, Fox) – In a down year for sitcoms, Mindy Kaling's show remained the highlight even as it began to slightly favor the Mindy-Danny relationship over workplace drama at the clinic. No series does self-deprecating non-sequiturs better. From what I hear, the quality remained high when the series moved to Hulu for Season 4, which I haven't watched yet. (I also intend to watch Netflix's "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" someday.)
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9. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2654620/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"The Strain"</a> (Season 2, FX) – The ancient vampire mythology got ratcheted up, but I remained riveted by the characters and how they navigate the increasingly dangerous New York City (always with the implication that the vampire takeover could go worldwide). As with the first season, my favorite scenery chewers were Kevin Durand and David Bradley as members of the makeshift vampire-hunting squad; the evil Eldritch Palmer's tryst with his young secretary was also weirdly compelling.
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10. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3314218/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">"UnReal"</a> (Season 1, Lifetime) – Maybe I'm biased because she's my favorite actress, but Shiri Appleby ("Roswell," "Life Unexpected") has a knack for picking good projects. This one is quite different, though, because she doesn't play a lovable character. Rachel, the producer of a "Bachelor"-style reality show, must manipulate people for the sake of ratings – she's been both blessed and cursed with this talent. Every character on the series is mostly a terrible person, but we see moments that make them relatable, making it hard to look away from this collective trainwreck of human decency.
Share your own top 10 lists in the thread below. I'll be back with my top 10 movies list next week.
Television2015 in reviewThu, 24 Dec 2015 00:06:00 -0700http://www.johnvhansen.com/jvh/blog/index.cfm/2015/12/24/My-top-10-TV-shows-of-2015